Friday, May 30, 2014

"For
by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it
is the gift of God -- not the result of works, so that no one may boast."
(Ephesians 2:8-9 NRSV)The
greatest minds in church history have identified this one biblical truth as the
foundation of our faith. John Calvin declared it to be "the main
hinge" on which the true Christianity swings. They are describing the
doctrine of justification by faith alone -- or as the reformers called it, Sola Fide.Of
the importance of this foundational truth Martin Luther wrote: "This
doctrine is the head and the cornerstone. It alone begets, nourishes, builds,
preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God
cannot last for one hour." It’s no wonder that Luther called justification
by faith alone "the article by which the church stands or falls."
Because there are only two kinds of righteousness: a human righteousness based
on human effort, and what he called "the passive righteousness" that
comes from Christ. There is the righteousness of God and your own
righteousness. There is no middle ground; you embrace one or the other.-- Sola Conference 2009#3447

Thursday, May 29, 2014

A couple years ago, Adam
Taylor went on one of our annual mission trips to Ethiopia.While he was there, he knew God was calling
him to invest more than one week of his life.God was calling him to go all in.The defining moment was when a fifteen-year-old boy named Lilly popped
out of a sewer manhole cover.He didn't
have any shoes on, so Adam spontaneously gave him his.Lilly took Adam on a tour of the sewer where
he found an entire community of orphans living under the streets.In that moment, Adam knew [what he had to
do].The prospect of leaving a
six-digit salary didn't add up, but Adam didn't care.He moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
trusting that God would provide, and he started a ministry called Change Boys,
which rescues street kids and gives them a home to live in.In fact, twenty-two kids live with Adam in a
house that God miraculously provided.Adam signed the lease on the house, not knowing how God would
provide.Meanwhile, we released our
annual Christmas catalog that raises money for a variety of mission
projects.Adam didn't know it, but
Change Boys was one of those projects.How appropriate that Adam's spiritual family, NationalCommunityChurch, would cover the
entire year's lease.When Adam heard the
news, he cried. Then we cried.Adam's story has inspired
others within our church to step out in faith, too.In fact his name has been turned into a
verb."Pulling an Adam Taylor"
has become synonymous with taking a step of faith that doesn't add up.-- Mark Batterson in The Circle Maker#3446

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

"Do we know what it
means to be struck by grace?" Tillich asks.This was a provocative notion to me, an odd
metaphor, to describe God's grace as something that strikes, that jars us into
a new way of thinking, that collides with our old way of being.He continues, "We cannot transform our
lives, unless we allow them to be transformed by that stroke of
grace."The first movement toward
the new creation, the transformed life, and becoming the person God wants us to
be begins when we face the startling reality of God's unconditional love for
us.Receiving the love and forgiveness
of God, beginning to comprehend its meaning, and opening ourselves to the new
life it brings can be as disrupting as an earthquake, as abrupt as lightening
striking across the black night sky.It
means we've been struck by grace.-- Robert Schnase in Five Practices of Fruitful Living#3445

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

God desires that our
relationship with Him isn’t lived out of a sense of duty as much as a sense of
devotion. In other words, God longs for us to long for Him. In the beauty of
His presence, we can’t help but find our affections set on God, our hearts
captivated by His love. Caught up in the delight of God, powerful feelings of
gratitude swell within us and our natural response is worship -- words of
thanks that roll off the tongue, songs of adoration that spring from the heart,
or some other form of praise. When we give back to God, the One who has gifted
us with all good things, we reflect His beauty.-- Margaret Feinberg in Pursuing God’s Beauty#3444

Monday, May 26, 2014

"No one has greater
love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13
NRSV)Our debt
to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be
repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their
sacrifices.-- U.S.
President Harry S. Truman#3443

Friday, May 23, 2014

As
a former Army Ranger, Seattle
pastor Tom Allen described a special connection he felt to the characters in
the World War II movie "Saving Private Ryan":I
was extremely proud -- until the last minute of the movie. I was proud watching
the Rangers take OmahaBeach. Then they receive
a mission to go deep into enemy territory to save Private Ryan. They hit
skirmish after skirmish, and some of them are killed along the way. They
finally get to where Private Ryan is holed up, and they say, "Come with
us. We've come to save you."He
says, "I'm not going. I have to stay here because there's a big battle
coming up, and if I leave my men they're all going to die."What
do the Rangers say? "We'll stay here and fight with you." They stay
and fight, and it's gory and hard, and almost everyone dies except Private
Ryan. At the end, one of the main characters -- played by Tom Hanks -- is
sitting on the ground. He's been shot and he's dying. The battle has been won.Private
Ryan leans over to him, and Hanks whispers something to him. Everyone in the
theater is crying because Tom Hanks was shot; I was crying because of what he
said -- it was so terrible. Ryan bent down and Hanks said, "Earn
this."The
reason that made me angry is no Ranger would ever say, "Earn this."
Why? Because the Ranger motto for the past 200 years has not been "earn
this." The Ranger motto for the past 200 years has been Sua sponte,
"I chose this." I volunteered for this.If
Hanks was really a Ranger he would have said, "Sua sponte." In other
words, "This is free. You don't pay anything for this. I give up my life
for you. That's my job."And
so when you look at the cross and see Jesus hanging there and hear Him say,
"I thirst," you do not hear "earn this." You never hear
Jesus say, "Earn this." He doesn't say, "I've given up
everything for you. Now you need to gut it out for Me." What He says is
"I thirst." He says, "Sua sponte. I volunteered for this. You
don't have to pay anything for it."--
Tom Allen, Seattle, Washington in a sermon from Preaching Today#3442

Thursday, May 22, 2014

If
you do not worship God seven days a week, you do not worship Him on one day a
week. There is no such thing known in heaven as Sunday worship unless it is
accompanied by Monday worship and Tuesday worship and so on.--
A. W. Tozer#3441

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

I read about a guy who
catches live exotic fish for aquarium owners.His top-selling fish is the shark.He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it to an
aquarium, it would only grow in proportion to its environment.A shark can be a mere six inches long and
still be an adult.Its growth is stunted
by its surroundings.But if you turn
that dwarfed shark loose in the ocean, he'll grow to his normal length of
nearly eight feet.The same thing can happen to
Christians.I've seen some of the cutest
little Christians who swim around in a little puddle of self-centeredness.They stay small and immature in their
faith.But place them into a larger
arena -- the vastness of the body of Christ -- and they can reach their full
potential and "grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ"
(Ephesians 4:15).-- Lenya Heitzig and
Penny Pierce Rose in Pathway to God's Treasure: Ephesians#3440

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Since
I was already in a stew, I decided to literally make a stew. Upset by some sort
of squabble, I was soon chopping, dicing, sniffing, mixing, simmering, stirring
my way back to sanity. Losing myself in the colors, aromas, taste, feel, and
the chop-chop of the knife became a kind of sensate prayer that brought me to
my senses.

Cooking
is often a vehicle of prayer for me. As I sort out flavors, adding leftover
vegetables from the refrigerator, I try to blend them into some sort of tasty
combination, using what I already have. In a surprising alchemy of attention,
my thoughts are led to explore how my life can be better blended into balance
and harmony, what belongs and what doesn’t belong, what adds spice, what
ingredients bring a balance of flavors. The kitchen becomes my place of
creative personal prayer.

Monday, May 19, 2014

One
of the earmarks of any person who has come into a viable and meaningful
relationship with God as his heavenly Father is an attitude of quiet
contentment with life. Gone are the emptiness and frustration of a pointless
existence. In its place there are purpose and meaning and direction in all one
does.-- W. Phillip Keller in SERENITY:
Finding God Again For The First Time#3438

Friday, May 16, 2014

When a church realizes it
all depends on God, not them, and will together yield their lives fully to Him,
God begins to work. It doesn't depend on numbers, status, skills, or even
resources. The future depends on God and His people who will hear Him, believe
Him, and obey Him.-- Henry Blackaby in What the Spirit Is Saying to
the Churches Bible Study#3437

Thursday, May 15, 2014

A church in Strasbourg, Germany,
was destroyed during World War II.After
the bombing, the members went to see what was left and found the entire roof
caved in.Much to their surprise, a
statue of Christ with outstretched hands was still standing.It was intact, except a falling beam had
sheared off both hands.The people asked
a sculptor if he could replace the hands on the statue.He was willing, and he even offered to do the
work for nothing.The church officials
met to consider the sculptor's proposition but decided not to accept his
offer.Why?Because they felt that the statue without
hands would be the greatest message possible that God's work is done with human
hands through His people.God gives gifts to believers
so we can be His hands, His feet, and His mouth, fully equipped "for the
work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ"(Ephesians 4:12).-- Lenya
Heitzig and Penny Pierce Rose in Pathway to God's Treasure: Ephesians#3436

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

"As
He says also in Hosea:'I
will call them My people, who were not My people,And
her beloved, who was not beloved.'"(Romans 9:25 NKJV)A
loving Personality dominates the Bible, walking among the trees of the garden
and breathing fragrance over every scene.Always a living Person is present, speaking, pleading, loving, working,
and manifesting Himself whenever and wherever His people have the receptivity
necessary to receive the manifestation.--
A. W. Tozer#3435

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

"The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
(Proverbs 9:10 NIV)What does it mean to
"fear" God?It certainly goes
beyond simply being afraid of God.It is
a profound sense of reverential awe toward God.But really it is even more than that.The fear of God is better described than defined.It is displayed in a person's character and
conduct.A person who fears God
recognizes God's authority over every area of his life.He has desire to obey God's clear commands in
Scripture.He recognizes his complete
dependence upon God for everything he has and everything he is.He approaches every aspect of life with an
aim to glorify God …If you want to fear God, you
need to know Him.Knowing Him requires a
consistent, comprehensive study of God's Word.As we regularly encounter God in His Word, and as the Holy Spirit works
it into our lives, we see God's majesty and power, His holiness and wisdom, and
His love expressed in His grace and mercy to us.We come to admire His attributes and stand
amazed at His Love.-- Nancy Guthrie in Holding on to Hope#3434

Monday, May 12, 2014

At
the Singletary house, we have a family mission statement we all helped devise
engraved on a piece of oak that hangs in the foyer.Everyone who enters our house can see the
sign which reads:"This
is the home of champions.As
Singletarys, we will always strive to do our very best in all we do.We will strive to be honest and respect each
other's feelings, property, and time.We
will always pray for one another, fight for one another, and encourage one
another.For our trust be not in our
home, nor our money or status or knowledge, but in each other, and above all,
in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."This
is the kind of covenant more families could make with each other.It serves to keep all of us focused on our
family goals and reminds us of our relationship with the Lord.--
Mike Singletary with Russ Pate in Daddy's
Home at Last#3433

Friday, May 9, 2014

"Love is patient and
kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does
not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not
rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes
all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…"(1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a RSV)I want to thank the Lord for
my mother who was and is always there for me -- wanting my best, praying for my
needs, and living as an example of God's steadfast, selfless, unconditional
love.My mother turns 90 next month and
she still mothers me, although she no longer buys me underwear. I pray that the
Lord will shower her with His love the way she has showered me with hers.Love you, Mom!-- Dave Wilkinson#3432

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Generally
we think of getting "reckless" as something to avoid. Mature people,
we are taught, just don't act in such childish ways. And we are properly right
most of the time; however, not necessarily when serving our Lord. The WordWeb
dictionary offers the following definition of reckless, "Marked by
unthinking boldness; with defiant disregard for danger or consequences."
Following Jesus just might require us to step out boldly for His causes and to
cast aside danger or consequence. The world calls this reckless and God calls
it obedience.-- Rev. Gary Stone#3431

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

"Now
there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of
service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the
same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation
of the Spirit for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)Harry
Artinian, formerly president of corporate quality for the Colgate-Palmolive
Company, once said, "I like to tell the story about the entrepreneur who
wanted to build the perfect car.He
rented a warehouse and filled it with the 150 best cars ever built.Then he told his engineers to find the best
part in each car he had bought."So
they took the best engine from the Mercedes, the best door handle from the
Buick, the best transmission from the Toyota,
the best rack-and-pinion steering from the Ford, and so on and so on.When he was done, he had a car assembled out
of 15,000 best parts that human minds could engineer.Unfortunately, the car didn't function
because the parts didn't work together."Artinian's point is clear: In order for synergy and teamwork to take
place, the people on the team have to function as a team, not just a collection
of individuals.--
Pat Williams in The Magic of Teamwork#3430

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Community is not simply a place for the suffering to find
comfort but for the comforted to be comforters. 2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT) says,
"God comforts us in all our
troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be
able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

Monday, May 5, 2014

Christ's
sufferings allow us to realize something amazing: that God suffers with us.When
we feel like we've been humiliated in the presence of those around us, Christ
has "already been there, done that."When
we feel like all our friends have fled, and we wonder whom we can trust, Christ
has "already been there, done that."When
we experience great physical pain in our lives, and wonder when it will
mercifully end, Christ has "already been there, done that."And
if we or someone we know, for some unthinkable reason, experiences an untimely,
or unexpected death, Christ has "already been there, done that."In
short, there is no human suffering -- self inflicted, world inflicted, caused
by blind luck or fate -- that Christ cannot understand and identify with. That
is why we can say, with the famous Psalm-writer, "Even if I walk though
the valley of the shadow of death, You are with me..."In precisely those worst times of life, God is with us.
God understands us. God is not just some out-of-touch purveyor of
psycho-babble, challenging us to "be positive." God realizes that
some days it's hard to find anything positive. And that's OK. And part of why
it's OK is that God will be there in our sufferings, anytime we stop to notice.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Iris Bammert walked slower
than most to the podium.Her face
reflected a quiet confidence that no matter how long it took, she would reach
her goal.At last, she reached the
microphone and spoke with gentle strength."God has let me know that in this life we have tribulation, but be
of good cheer.I have overcome the
world."Iris had suffered a debilitation stroke in the prime of her life.Her whole world changed in a moment -- from
self-sufficiency to complete dependency.She can't drive a car anymore; instead she's driven to her knees in
prayer, seeking a strength that is not her own.She can barely speak, but God enabled her to remind the women in our
Bible study, "This life is not so important.Don't forget the Lord is the One who does
everything in and through us."God does not ask you to walk
in your own strength -- He knows that is impossible.However, He does promise to give you the
strength you need to walk in a way that is pleasing to Him.Philippians 4:13 reminds us, "I can do
everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need" (NLT).-- Lenya Heitzig and
Penny Pierce Rose in Pathway to God's Treasure: Ephesians#3427

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Frederick Buechner writes,
"There is no event so commonplace but that God is present within it,
always hiddenly, always leaving you room to recognize Him or not… because in
the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace."How close has God come?So close that, as Thomas a Kempis put it,
"every creature will be to you a mirror of life and a book of holy
doctrine."So close that, in the words
of Jean Pierre de Caussade, "each moment is a revelation from God."So close that He can flow in the through your
life from one moment to the next like a river.So close that your heart will be beating with life because Someone is
walking around in there.God is closer
than you think.-- John Ortberg in God Is Closer Than You Think#3426

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Welcome to SOUND BITES

By David T. Wilkinson

Over the years I have collected quotes that pertain to the Christian faith and life in general. As I have read or studied what others have written, I have been struck by the profound thought that is captured in their few short words. These quotes have been shared through SOUND BITES Ministry™ , a five-day-a-week inspirational e-mail ministry, and now are shared through this blog as well. You will also find us on Facebook by clicking SOUND BITES Ministry on Facebook.

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How SOUND BITES came to be

During Lent 1999 God prompted me to think about a new idea as to how I might share these thoughts with a broader audience. At the same time, our family was experiencing the first anniversary of the death of our son, Dustin, who died at the age of sixteen from a brain tumor. So, beginning on that anniversary, March 29, 1999 we began an e-mail ministry in memory of Dustin that we call SOUND BITES: Something to chew on that is good for the soul™. Five days a week, Monday through Friday, I share one of these quotes with subscribers. Hopefully recipients find something of faith and life to think about and chew on, which feeds their soul and helps them grow spiritually. Since its inception, over 4,000 daily quotes have been sent out. The subscriber list continues to grow numerically and geographically with subscribers in every state in the U.S., and also in Canada, Mexico, and numerous other countries around the world. Currently more than 2000 subscribers receive SOUND BITES directly via e-mail and many others second hand. Now through this blog we expand our outreach even more. To read comments on the 13th anniversary of SOUND BITES Ministry™, click 13th Anniversary Comments.